Combination container and skid support

ABSTRACT

A vacuum-formed polyethylene container and skid support for forklift handling wherein the skid support has a four-way forklift entry for expeditious handling and has a selfreinforcing configuration which makes it light but rugged.

United States Patent 11 1 Lewis May 28, 1974 COMBINATION CONTAINER ANDSKHD SUPPORT [75] Inventor: Paul E. Lewis,'Anaheim, Calif.

[73] Assignee: McDonnell Douglas Corporation,

Santa Monica, Calif.

22 Filed: Feb.28,1972

21 Appl.No.:229,793

[52] U.S. Cl 220/15, 108/58, 220/69 [51] Km. CI 865d 19/04, B65d 19/18[58] Field of Search 108/51, 52, 56, 58;

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1962 Caprin 108/563,187,690 6/1965 Desbois 108/58 3,433,184 3/1969 Addy i 108/58 3,481,28512/1969 Yellin 108/58 3,603,273 9/1971 Riffe 108/58 PrimaryExaminerGeorge E. Lowrance Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert 0.Richardson; Donald L. Royer; Walter J. Jason 5 7 ABSTRACT Avacuum-formed polyethylene container and skid support for forklifthandling wherein the skid support has a four-way forklift entry forexpeditious handling and has a self-reinforcing configuration whichmakes it light but rugged.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 COMBINATION CONTAINER AND SKID SUPPORBACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION In industrial areas, trash, scrap,manufactured parts and other items are placed in containers for storage,utilization or transportation to other areas. Steel tubs have been usedfor many years. Even though they are protected by corrosion-resistantpaint, the corrosion problem still exists requiring refurbishingperiodically. Those having hinged lids still do not afford environmentalprotection since moisture can and does seep in to damage the material oradd to the corrosion problem. For comparison purposes, their initialcost of approximately 500.00 dollars is distributed over a -year lifeexpectancy. A wood box with pallet is one of the most inexpensivecontainers in use, costing about 14.00 dollars. However, a completereplacement must be made every 45 days when subjected to the sameenvironment as the steel tub previously mentioned. The wooden sides ofthe box are abrasive to the material contents being transported and theabsence of a lid subjects the material contents to pilferage and weatherdamage. Both the steel tubs and the wood boxes are raised from the floorand set on skid bases which permit them to be moved around and lifted bya conventional forklift for loading, emptying or movement toother areas.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION A plastic transport tub of ahigh-density polyethylene made by a vacuum-forming process has beendeveloped to provide the maximum in environmental protection for shopsupplies and perishable tools. Its cost, as compared with the others, isabout 73.00 dollars each. A typical tub is 48 inches in length, 42inches in width, and 33 inches high, and weighs 60 pounds. The innervolume of 38.5 cubic feet has a support capacity of L500 pounds and alife expectancy of 15 years. In a 2- hour period, a 2,500 pound loadcaused a deformation but when pressure was released, the containerimmediately returned to its normal configuration. The thickness of thematerial preferably was 0.350 inch although appropriate ribs, flanges,or rims would be of a greater thickness. Generally, the configuration ofthe skid support is a central portion of rectangular shape, positionedagainst the base of the container. This central portion is bounded byfour intersecting open channels to receive forks of a forklift truckfrom any direction. The outer walls of these channels terminate infastening flanges for attachment to the containers and reinforcementedges provide additional rigidity and strength.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view lookingupwardly from underneath to show the container skid as it is attached tothe container; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the top of the skid with the containerremoved.

Referring now to FIG. I there is shown a container 10 having a skidsupport 12 fastened to the base thereof to function as an integral unit.The container preferably is of a high-density polyethylene on the orderof 0.350 inch thick. The longitudinal or side walls 14 are 48 incheslong and the transverse or end walls l6 are 42 inches wide. The heightis 33 inches, with the walls terminating in a reinforcing lip or flange18. The end and side walls 14 and 16 at the bottom curve into a base 20to form a single integral unit without sharp corners to facilitate easycleaning. This container has a volume of 38.5 cubic feet and a loadcapacity of 1,500 pounds. The skid support 12 has a central portion 22of generally rectangular shape, having downturned walls 24 and 26 alongits sides which are load bearing. The transverse walls 26 intersect andjoin the longitudinal walls 24 to form vertical corners for additionalrigidity and strength. These walls also serve as inner guide walls whichare part of the channels through which the forks of a forklift pass whenso positioned.

Extending horizontally and outwardly from the vertical walls 24 and 26are intersecting longitudinal and lateral floor contacting skid portions28, 30. The outer edges of the longitudinal and lateral skids, 28, 30,have upstanding walls 32 and 34 respectively of the same height as theinner walls 24 and 26. They also serve as outer guide walls and loadbearing members to support the container 10 as it rests on the skidsupport 12 on the ground or floor. The tops of these upstanding walls 32and 34 flare outwardly to form fastening flanges 36 and 38 respectivelyfor attachment to the base 20 of the container 10 such as by means ofbolts 40. The ends of fastening flange 36 entend downwardly to formreinforcement edge walls 42 which also connect at their lower edge withthe edge of skid portion 30 at points extending outwardly from skid 28.They also are connected with the end of the outer guide wall 32 to formvertical corner supports. These end members are in alignment with,andappear to be an extension of, the inner walls 26. It is noted thatflange 36 is equal in length to inner wall 24. Similarly, fasteningflange 38 also terminates at its ends in reinforcement edge walls 44.These edge walls 44 unite with the outer upstanding wall 34 and appearto be an outer extension of skid portion 28. The intersecting walls 34and 44 form a vertical corner which serve as a reinforcement.

Longitudinal and transverse skid portions 28, 30 intersect and thenterminate along diagonal edges 46 which entend between edge walls 42 and44 at each of the corners. This provides openings for the placement oflift forks between the base 20 and skid portions 28 or 30. Entrance maybe made from any of four directions. The inner and outer walls 24, 32and 26, 34, together with skid portions 28, 30, form open channels forthe lift forks which then bear against the base 20 of the container 10when lifting it for movement.

The intersection of horizontal and vertical walls form horizontalcorners, i.e., the line of intersection is horizontal. Similarly, theintersection of vertical walls form vertical corners, i.e., the line ofintersection is vertical. In the embodiment shown there are thirty-twohorizontal comers to resist sag and twelve vertical corners for strengthand rigidity. Moreover, as horizontal and vertical corners intersectthey each reinforce the other, resulting in an extremely ruggedlightweight skid support.

It may be observed, particularly in FIG. 2, that the reinforcement edgewalls 42 and inner edges of fastening flanges 26 connect with the outerguide walls 32 to form two horizontal corners 40, 50 and one verticalcorner 52 which intersect at a point 54. Similarly, reinforcement edgewalls 44 and inner edges of fastening flanges 38 connect with innerguide walls 34 to form two horizontal corners 56, 58 and one verticalcorner 60 which intersect at a point 62. There are eight such points,one at each end of the fastening flanges 36, 38, which reinforce andprotect the outer guide walls 32 and 34 of skid portions 28, 30.

The inner guide walls 24 and 26 form vertical corners 56 at their planesof intersection. They also form horizontal corners 64 and 68 where theyintersect central portion 22. These corners form points 70 at eachcorner of the central portion. These four points reinforce and protectthe inner guide walls 24, 26 of skid portions 28, 30.

Obviously, the points and corners need not be sharp nor the cornerssquared but should approach these within the limits of practicalmanufacturing. The intersection of the three planes providereinforcement and rigidity for the skid support 12 in supporting thecontainer l and in moving it with a forklift. The forks 72 may beinserted above the skid portions 28 in the direction of arrows 74 or 76and above skid portions 30 in the direction of arrows 78 or 80 asdesired.

Having thus described an illustrative embodiment of I the presentinvention, it is to be understood that modifications thereof will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood thatthese deviations are to be construed as part of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An integral one-piece skid support comprising:

a central portion of rectangular shape adapted to contact the bottom ofa container to be supported thereby,

intersecting channels bounding said central portion,

said channels having floor contacting skid portions,

said channels being open at the ends thereof to receive forks of aforklift truck from any of four directions, said channels having innervertical walls terminating at their upper edges with the edges of saidcentral portion said channels having vertical outer walls terminating infastening flanges for attachment to a container to be supported thereby,

said fastening flanges having downturned reinforcement edges connectingwith said floor contacting skid portions and with said channel outervertical walls said channels inner vertical walls forming horizontalcorners at their tops with said central portion, said channel innervertical walls intersecting to form vertical corners, said innervertical walls terminating at their lower edges in said floor contactingskid portions and forming horizontal corners therewith. 2. A skidsupport as in claim 1 wherein said reinforcement edges are in alignmentwith said inner vertical walls and extend outwardly from intersectingchannels.

3. A skid support as in claim 1 in combination with a containerpositioned thereon,

means connecting said fastening flanges to the bottom of said container,said channels being open at the top thereof to permit contact of theforks of a forklift with the bottom of said container between saidflanges and said central portion.

1. An integral one-piece skid support comprising: a central portion ofrectangular shape adapted to contact the bottom of a container to besupported thereby, intersecting channels bounding said central portion,said channels having floor contacting skid portions, said channels beingopen at the ends thereof to receive forks of a forklift truck from anyof four directions, said channels having inner vertical wallsterminating at their upper edges with the edges of said central portionsaid channels having vertical outer walls terminating in fasteningflanges for attachment to a container to be supported thereby, saidfastening flanges having downturned reinforcement edges connecting withsaid floor contacting skid portions and with said channel outer verticalwalls said channels inner vertical walls forming horizontal corners attheir tops with said central portion, said channel inner vertical wallsintersecting to form vertical corners, said inner vertical wallsterminating at their lower edges in said floor contacting skid portionsand forming horizontal corners therewith.
 2. A skid support as in claim1 wherein said reinforcement edges are in alignment with said innervertical walls and extend outwardly from intersecting channels.
 3. Askid support as in claim 1 in combination with a container positionedthereon, means connecting said fastening flanges to the bottom of saidcontainer, said channels being open at the top thereof to permit contactof the forks of a forklift with the bottom of said container betweensaid flanges and said central portion.